Unwanted
by KiaMianara
Summary: Sometimes it only takes good will to make strangers a family, but the drive to know why your own carrier abandoned you can be maddening and when all is said and done, what is left to return to?
1. Unwanted

_Bay-vers, set after the movie 07._

_Okay, I know I should work on my other stuff, but I had this dream and needed to write it. Well, actually all I had to work with was Megs trying to shoot the sparklet and someone hunting a very livid and very happy sparkling around._

_Well, anyway, lots of OOC, some sparkling cuteness, family drama and more OOC._

_Oh, and for the record: in this story the only difference between mechs and femmes is just what they want to be called. Ghoststorm is actually a femme, because she put it in her mind to be referred to as a femme._

_XXXXXXXXXX  
_

Shocked, disgusted and admittedly to a great part also terrified the mech starred into the mirror, or more precisely at the reflection of his spark and especially the aberration.

Now, every medic would tell him, that it was definitely not an aberration, but he was the Lord High Protector Megatron and for someone like him having been knocked up by stranger after a night of too much highgrade definitely qualified the result as an absolutely unwanted aberration.

In a spur of the moment decision the silver warrior pulled out a gun from subspace and tried to take aim at the sparklet, but it was too small and circled too fast around his own orb to take aim and while temporarily of unsound mind Megatron wasn't suicidal, left aside, that of all the ways to die for a cybertronian this had to be the most undignified.

Growling the Lord High Protector put the gun away again and closed his chest plates. He obviously wouldn't get rid of that mistake now, but sooner or later it would have to slow down, or maybe it would just perish on its own. Things like that happened and he surely wouldn't be considerate of it. Either it slowed down so he could remove it, or the strain of his daily work would kill it, one way or the other, he would get rid of it.

XXXXXX

It was a prime example as to why Megatron refused to trust anyone or anything, although he had to give the misshapen some credit: it was persistent and already a master of survival. For almost a vorn he had done everything short of dying and consulting a medic to get rid of it, but it just wouldn't perish and he was sure it was only racing when he opened his chestplates, as if it knew that its survival depended on it. Trying to starve it to death hadn't worked either, only resulted in Megatron feeling like slag and promoting it from aberration to parasite.

The other consequence was that the Lord High Protector had to admit defeat for the first time, when the pain became unbearable, and went to see one of the best medics on Cybertron. Sadly he was also one of the most obstinate and while he _did_ free the much larger mech from the parasite it definitely hadn't been part of the plan for it to survive, be placed into a protoform and hold into his faceplates.

"And what am I supposed to do with that?"

"That, Lord Megatron, is a sparkling and you will need to take care of it" the medic replied unimpressed and the misshapen actually had the nerves to make noises and grab for him.

The silver warrior looked from it to the medic and tried to leave, only to have the medic stand in his way again.

"Lord Megatron, he is you son" he said, as if it meant something and found himself pressed against a wall the next moment.

"This thing is a parasite. Keep it, if you like, I don't care, but breathe one word to anyone about where it's from and I'll slowly destroy everything you hold dear right before your optics!"

For all his bravery, faced with this threat, all the medic could do was nod and following justified instincts he hid the unwanted sparkling in the crock of his arm. The Lord High Protector gave one last warning growl, then he finally left and let the medic to his own deceive.

"Teacher, did I just see the ... Holy Primus!" the small femme breathed and cautiously stepped closer. After everyone else had refused her because of her size and the three younglings she had quite literally taken under her (door-) wings, he had made her his apprentice and so far not regretted that decision. The few problems she and her sons created – she could hardly leave them alone the whole orn, so they had taken over the area behind the desk – the femme made up with a sharp mind.

"Ah, alright, then I didn't see Lord Megatron entering or leaving this building and I have absolutely no idea where the sparkling comes from. I'll just get a blanket and some sparkling graded energon. Guys, you stay here and watch the nice uncle doctor for me. I'll be back in a few" the green coloured femme instructed her adopted creations when seeing the terror on her mentors faceplates and sped away.

Blessed be that femme and her fast reactions, because for all his experience the medic couldn't do anything except taking care that the sparkling didn't start to cry.

Now how should he tell his mate that their family just got a new addition, because his apprentice definitely had enough younglings to take care of and he doubted anyone else would be willing to take in a sparkling the Lord High Protector rather saw dead.

XXX

It was later that orn, when the medic returned to his home, that the full gravity sunk in. This orn had rattled him to the core and, if nothing else, the relieve to see his bondmate chase their own, laughing sparkling through the flat stood testament to just how much.

"Oh nonononono, not up ... oh, great! Jazzy, get down here, right now!"

"Nuhu" the silver sparkling grinned happily, but then he spotted his other creator and just as fast as he had climbed up the cupboard he was down again and running to his carrier.

"Well, hello, Jazzy. I'm glad to see you, too. Hide."

"Welcome home, Ratch. Hard orn?" the black mech asked, peeling their sparkling from his mate's faceplate, so he could also have the chance to steal a kiss.

"You have no idea" the medic replied dryly, wondering why he hadn't been asked yet about the sparkling.

"What? What? Tasty?" Jazz suddenly cried exited, pointing at the buddle in Ratchet's arm, obviously thinking his carrier had brought home some sweets. That his code writer was letting him hang from his scuff bar he didn't seem to mind at all.

"No, that's not something to eat. It's a sparkling."

Once made aware of it Ironhide looked from their own sparkling, to the new one and finally to his mate.

"Did I miss something?" he asked irritated and very concerned when he noticed just how stressed his partner really was, but the hunted look in the medic's optics was him actually answer enough. When Ratchet looked like this it was best to not ask and just go with it.

"I see. Well, then this is not just a sparkling, Jazzy, it's your new little brother."

For a moment the silver sparkling had to ponder whenever or not he liked this new development, then he grinned and wiggled free to get a closer look at his new brother.

"Ironhide ..."

"Admit it, that's exactly what you want, and I don't mind. Jazz obviously doesn't either and if that little apprentice, Ghoststorm, can handle three at once on her own, I see no reason, why we shouldn't have two."

Ratchet starred, too surprised to put up any resistance when the larger mech pushed him on the couch. He really had expected at least a bit resistance, considering the panic attack the warrior had had when presented with the fact that, yes, his bondmate was bearing and they soon would be creators, if he wanted to or not.

"Ratch, listen. I don't know why you decided to literally bring work back home, but I know you long enough to tell that you already made up your mind. You had that same look when you told your creators just where they can stuff their "that warrior is not good enough for you" and look where we are now. So how about we just spare ourselves the trouble and just adopt him first thing when the administrations open tomorrow morning."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you know where I have him from. Primus, I don't even know where to start" Ratchet sighed and tried to get Jazz to let go of the new sparked, but the mechling had other plans.

"No, mine!"

For a moment Ratchet feared the new sparked would start to cry again – a terrible sound, not only because of his already activated parental subroutines since Jazz' creation – but the little mechling merely looked around a bit, wiggled a servo free and curled it around Jazz' arm.

"See? They agree with me. And if it's as bad as it sounds I'm all the more for keeping him" the black mech pointed out with an amused smirk, but quite serious. Then he leaned down to get a closer look at their newest addition. He seemed really small, even for a sparkling and had yet to gain any colour except for those cute red optics.

"So, does the little one have a name already?"

"Hide, he was sparked just this morning!"

The other mech grinned knowingly.

"So you _did_ give him a name already."

" ... Starscream."

"Ah. I can't wait to find out why. Well, Starscream, welcome to the family."

Starscream cooed, as if he knew that he had just been adopted by the most protective couple on Cybertron, and Jazz grinned, because he _did_ know, at least as far as he could with his sparkling processor.

Ratchet smiled.

"Ironhide, if I ever voice any doubt about why I bonded to you, please remind me of this orn."

"Ah. Okay, but that is one pretty long list already."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, well, there'd be our first meeting, our first date, the first kiss, a whole lot of other first I rather not name in front of the sparkling ... want me to continue?"

"Love you too, Hide."

"Now that's something _you_ can remind me of."

XXXXXX

In the end memories was all Ratchet had left. Well, not really, his family was after all still alive, but not whole anymore and it's been that way for a very long time. It had been such a close call with Jazz; they would have almost lost him to Megatron for good, after he had already taken Starscream from them, although the warlord had never wanted the sparkling that had turned into a formidable flier.

"Calm down, Ratch. Nothing of this is your fault" Ironhide gruffed from the otherside of the berth were their creation laid, until now keeping silently watch.

"I almost lost him, too."

"But only almost. He's still alive, thanks to you. It's been but a klick since you said yourself he'll make a full recovery. Come one, you need some rest. He'll be fine."

"Yes, and what about Starscream?"

"He's always been a master of survival. He'll be fine, too, and I told you I saw him leaving Mission City" Ironhide grumped and led his mate to their room. After their victory over Megatron the Autobots had started to build a base near Tranquility. It was improvable, but it had a small, functional med bay and actual recharge berths.

"I'd rather have him all beaten up here on my tables than who knows where in who know what condition! We should have never told him."

The black mech almost sighed. They had been through that particular topic so often, that he had to give up counting.

"I know, but it was still the right thing to do. He asked and he had the right to know. We couldn't have known he would ... react like this. The only one to blame for all this is Megatron and he got what he deserved."

"That doesn't make it any better."

XXX

Although Ratchet was at a point where he would actually admit that he needed rest, he couldn't find any, so after what felt like an eternity but in reality were hardly a few hours the medic returned to his med bay, only to stop at the door when he heard music.

Now usually he would have stormed in and given Jazz a run for his money, scaring them all like that, and be it only because his son would have turned up the volume a lot more and be it only to get some attention.

"Turn it off. Someone could hear us."

"Everyone is either in recharge or on patrol, Star, and they'll definitely hear Red cry, so bear it like a mech."

Shocked beyond words the medic peeked into his domicile and almost got a spark failure. It was quite a challenge to recognise her, but it definitely was his former apprentice and now fellow medic, Ghoststorm. The femme had never been overly vain, but her paintjob was now so ruined as if she hadn't bothered with it for vorns and with all the dents Ratchet had to wonder if she was actually still able to transform at all. Seeing that he could almost hear the dirt gritting in the other's joins she very likely could not even move without pain and the red visor was also irritating. The medic caught himself thinking that she probably hadn't smiled in eons, probably not since she suddenly vanished in the early vorns of the war. Nobody had known what happened to her, but apparently had she joined the Decepticons. It was at least their emblem he could see on her chest plates and their air commander she was stripping of his armour– the actual reason for the medic's distress.

Noticing that Ironhide had followed him Ratchet motioned him to be silent and have a look. A part of him wanted to storm in and hug their second son and throw a major tantrum, but the other part felt that it was important what the unusual pair was discussing and that they would be better off listening first.

The black weapon specialist fought a similar inner battle, but in the end they agreed that this definitely wasn't the time to rush anything. For all they knew any action could, for various reasons, lead to a battle of undefined scales and Jazz could hardly get himself out of harm's way. It had taken long enough to stabilize him as it was.

"Why did you insist coming here anyway? They hate me" Starscream whined, his optics never leaving Jazz's form, worry and longing obvious in the red orbs.

"No they don't. Trust me; they both love you as if you were their own. For Primus sake, you _are_ theirs. You should have seen the way Ratchet looked at me when he had made is mind up, which, by the way, had taken him but a breem."

"But I shot at them."

"Left aside that they shot back, I know how deadly your aim can be. If you'd wanted to hit one of them you would. We've both done horrible things to just stay alive, but the only crime you committed against you family was to no return to them when I told you to. I know, I'm not any better, but I couldn't just leave you there and someone had to do the spy work."

"Spy?"

"Don't act all surprised. You knew I gave every information I could to either Prowl or Jazz. That's how I've been buying our safety from all sides. Repairs for the Decepticons, information for the Autobots and the one or the other unexplainable escape of a certain saboteur who just didn't learn to stay out of our HQ. We all did what we had to and now that it's finally over I can't wait to see my sons again."

"Then why are you still here?"

Ghoststorm hesitated and by the lack of sound also stopped working for a moment.

"Because I'm just as scared of their reaction as you are, more so probably."

"I doubt that."

"Oh really? Well, let me get that straight then. When you left and joined Megatron you told them, right? And when you realised that the old scrapheap will never accept you for who and what you are and that Ironhide, Ratchet and Jazz really are your family, you were already in so deep you feared they wouldn't want you anymore. So you kept on going, but it only got worse, right? Don't deny it. I know you from the orn you were sparked and were with you through all that slag."

" ... "

"I take that as a "yes". Now you see, I haven't told _anyone_ when I left. I just vanished from one orn to the other. I've been playing Decepticon medic and Autobot spy for the last eons without at least letting them know I'm still alive and although I know he's smart I doubt Prowl could figure out that I was the one playing all that intel into his servos. And every time I repaired and set him free again Jazz was already out of it. And then there is Red Alert. If they haven't changed as much in this war as we have I'll be lucky when Prowl punches me and Sunny and Sides give me the cold shoulder."

"But why did you come here with me in the first place?"

"Because it _hurts_. My spark aches to at least see them once, even if they don't want me around anymore. That will probably hurt more, but I will get over it, have to."

"And why do you think it will be so different for me?"

"They are your creators, Star."

"Megatron ..."

"Was an ignorant, stupid bastard, giving away the best thing that could have happened to him. He wouldn't even hold you, but Ratchet and Ironhide raised you and I'm sorry to tell you that you were a very ... stressing sparkling half the time."

"That's not helping" the seeker mumbled and Ghoststorm sighed.

"Hey, what I mean is that you did a lot slag and they still stuck with you. That's admittedly so far the worst you've done, but I give you my word that it won't change anything. Maybe the length of the dressing down and how long you will be grounded, but they will not abandon you. Never"

"And what about Jazz? He ..."

"... has been fighting tears since we came in and he's not the only none."

Outside the med bay the bonded didn't even need to look at each other, when they entered the room and had the first real look at their younger son. Starscream looked small without his armour, not at all like the feared air commander anymore, and he seemed at least as shocked about seeing them as they were, especially when they noticed the small, red sparkling in his arms.

"Oh Star ..."

"Ah, no, wrong address. Red is mine. Everything is alright, don't get your wires in a knot" Ghoststorm corrected before the other medic could even finish that thought and took the sparkling from the seeker.

"Where the slag did you find him?" Ironhide asked, not sure how to proceed from here. It was the first time in eons that they were all in the same room and he couldn't really help Ratchet fret of Jazz, who tried to sit up. And someone had to block the door after all.

"Find? I didn't find the little one. He's _mine_."

"Storm, you ..."

"Don't say it, teacher. I'm fine, Red Alert is healthy, and now hug you own sons or so help me, I'll show you just how I survived the last eons where it's even on the best orns the Pit. I'll go and find my boys now. It's no use to delay the unavoidable anymore" the femme grumped with a sad smile and just skidded out under the warrior's legs.

"Prime will crash when he finds out she's the mother of Prowl, Sunny and Sides" Ironhide mused, looking over his shoulder after the retreating femme. A pity he couldn't be there and see that, but then again, right now he actually didn't want to be anywhere else.

"I guess an apology is in order?" Starscream tried and curled closer into himself.

"How about you just come over here let me hug you, bro" Jazz suggested with his trademark grin, waving the seeker closer with one servo, while the other was clinked into his carrier shoulder so he wouldn't fall over.

"Are you ..."

"Star, really, I can't move right now and I want to hug my little bro until he's so embarrass he won't ever pull such a stupid stunt again. Now get over here."

Hesitatingly the seeker stepped closer, not sure what to expect after so many vorns on different sides of a gruesome war, but his worries were unnecessary. Starscream was hardly within reach of the other when Jazz reached out and snuggled him as if they were still younglings and the war never happened. It didn't make things undone, but it sure felt as if.

"I'm so glad you are alright. When Megatron ..." Starscream sobbed, clinking to him just as strongly.

"Hey, I'm older, but that doesn't mean I didn't catch up a thing or two from you. Besides, Ratch wouldn't let us die."

"Damn straight. Now lay back down, before I do it" the medic threatened, falling back to old habits already, but still he laid his arms around both and prevented them from moving at all.

Ironhide shook his head amused and got the other two berths.

"Up" he warned and being bonded Ratchet knew what he meant and pulled their sons up on the berth, when the warrior pushed all three berths together. Now they all had enough space to lay down together and the pair wasted no time to do just that. It was after all the first time in eons they were together like that.

"And now you will recharge, all of you. And so help me, if any of you so much as thinks about doing something only half as stupid ever again I will ground you for the rest of your lives!"

"Home sweet home."

"That's the spirit, little bro, that's the spirit."

**END**

XXXXXXXXXX**  
**

_I wanted a somewhat dignified end, but here some facts:_

_The reunion of Ghoststorm and his sons is at least as teary as that of Ratch's family._

_Prowl doesn't crash, but it is a close call when he finds out Ghoststorm and Starscream managed to sneak into the base unnoticed._

_Prime doesn't crash either about when he learns about the family bonds that had existed unnoticed under his nose for so long, but he goes into the med bay to have his processor checked. He takes that revelation also with ease, but then he accidently wakes Starscream, who panics, hits Jazz' repairs and the pained yelp finally wakes Ratchet. Prime is floored with a wrench and while cursing his ancestors down to the very first transformers Ratchet then moves his family to Hide's and his room so they can have some peace and quiet._

_Sunstreaker _does_ crash when he sees the amount of dirt in and on Ghoststorm's chassis._

_Some humans see the whole thing and put it on YouTube, other make calls to warn everyone not present. It's decided almost unanimously that they would stay far away from the base for a week or two until everyone calmed down._

_Red Alert is a very happy sparkling._


	2. Sparkling Sitting

_I know I said I won't continue this story, but this proves that obviously you can't trust a word I say and neither can I._

_Anyway, sparkling cuteness was stronger than I and so I wrote this already a while back. I just thought I make it part of the "100 theme challenge", but my patience with myself was running thin, so have some more._

_By the way, sorry about the terrible title. I couldn't make up anything better.  
_

XXX

"Take them. Just for a few joors. You can have paid leave tomorrow, or the next two orns for all I care, just take them now!"

Surprised, although less about Ironhide's demand than the timing, Ghoststorm took hold of Jazz and Starscream and watched the warrior run away.

"Not want?"

"No, Star. This got nothing to do with you two. Your creators just need some time for themselves. You will understand when you're older" the femme explained. It was by far not the first time that she was in this kind of situation, when her superior and his mate needed to have some quality time alone, and it never ceased to amuse her that they just didn't manage to just ask her a bit sooner so she could clear her own schedule for this. No, it always had to be a last minute call, but well.

"Prowler!"

"Jazzy, no pocking Prowler. Twins, no poking Star. You know that they don't appreciate it."

"Aww, but ada …"

"No "but ada". You know the rules and if you behave I'll make you some ruststicks, okay?"

"Ruststicks!"

Ghoststorm nodded satisfied with herself and sat her nephews-by-association down to her own adopted creations on the playmat. Encouraging good behavior was a lot easier than dealing out punishments, especially since her home was so small. She already dreaded the orn when her little ones weren't so little anymore that they could recharge in one room and she couldn't afford a larger flat. Sure, Ratchet would probably pay her more if she asked, but she had her pride and the extra salary would cut down Ratchet's own income, no doubt. Something had changed in their society recently, but the femme couldn't say what or if it was for the better or the worse, only that it affected all Cybertronians.

Ah, well, she would find out sooner or later. For now she had both servos full with playful younglings and really, leading a planet couldn't be harder than watching these five troublemakers.

"Twins …"

* * *

" … what did I tell poking Star in general and especially his wings?"

"But mum …"

"Don't you "mum" me. What does that mean anyway?"

"Short form for "mother". It's an endearment the dominating race on this planet calls their female creators."

"Ah. Well, that explains the feeling of déjàvu."

"It's not. You just had that discussion, like, every second orn" Ironhide reminded from the sideline, keeping silent vigil over his creations. Before they had pretty much barricaded themselves in the mad bay, where between Ratchet and Sunstreaker they had managed to repair and make Ghoststorm and Starscream look presentable again, but earlier they had managed to convince Ratchet to let all of them move to the improvised rec room. Now most of them were clustered around a single table in a corner, Starscream, Jazz and Prowl in the middle and Ironhide and Ratchet flanking them on one side and the twins on the other. Only Ghoststorm had yet to join them, but certainly not because she didn't want to, but because Red Alert was distressed, or at least that was what she said.

The sparkling had yet to make any noise, but it made sense, considering that it seemed as if his very existence had to have been kept a secret. They had yet dare to ask who his other creator was, but somehow the warrior had a feeling that he had rightfully met a terrible fate at the servos of either Starscream of Ghoststorm herself. It would also go a long way in explaining why Starscream had become so right out violent and the femme so timid and scared, if it wouldn't be the other way around. Their mental wounds would probably need a long time and many long talks to heal, but they had time now and Primus have mercy on the poor sod trying separate them again. They were all family after all and that not only because Prowl actually _did_ appreciate Jazz poking his doorwings.

Still, it was disturbing in some way to see Ghoststorm smile about it, but not say a word about it. She should be gushing all over the place and Starscream should say something like "I so saw that one coming", because really, they all had, just like only it was only a question of time until the twins tried to move on the seeker.

Ironhide wouldn't mind if they hooked up, neither would Ratchet. The twins generally meant trouble, but they would keep Star out of it and every other kind of trouble. They all just needed some time and peace and the note pinned to the med bay – the one about anyone daring to get hurt or worse, hurt one of Ratchet's kids, would end up with a wrench so far up their exhaust pipes that it could be removed through their intakes – certainly would assure that. Nobody dared to mess with what the medic considered his, not to mention that everything that was Ratchet's, by an unwritten law concerning bondmates, was also Ironhide's and now that the war was over neither of them saw any reason not to make their claim on their creations' health and happiness public.

Ghoststorm adjusted her hold on Red Alert and came closer. Obviously had the infant calmed down, but he still made not a single voice.

"Well, if it's not a déjàvu I guess there is no need for me to make ruststicks."

Five pairs of optics turned to the femme with hopeful longing. The small medic's ruststicks were nothing short of delicious, probably the best on whole Cybertron even before the war had dwindled their number so much.

"Ruststicks?" the chorus sounded and for a moment it seemed as if no time had passed since she had been sparkling sitting all of them.

Ah. The good old times.

Heavy steps sounded from the corridor. In virtually no time was Ghoststorm at Starscream's side and the sparkling vanished under his canopy. Riled up by her panicked behavior her creations pushed her down beside the seeker and shuffled closer, glaring at the door, as did Ironhide, while Ratchet tried to keep everyone from doing something they might regret later.

Surprised Prime stared back at the glaring mechs (and femme). He had tried to get a hold of someone to explain this to him for a while now and to suddenly find them all in one room was … obviously a bit too much for everyone and potentially dangerous.

"Ironhide, can I have a word with you?"

"Sure. What gives, Prime?"

"In private."

Ironhide looked from his family to the Prime, then went to a table in the other corner of the room and sat down demonstratively. This was about as far as he would distance himself from them in the foreseeable future and there was nothing even Optimus could do about that.

Prime raised an optic ridge, but then joined him.

"Would you care to explain this whole situation to me?"

"There isn't much to explain. Storm was Ratch's apprentice back in the days and around the same time we got Jazzy she found three younglings on the streets and adopted them. About two vorns later Ratch came home with a little sparkling and we adopted him. That's how we all know each other and with all respect: everything else is none of your business."

"Why wasn't I informed about this sooner?"

"And risk everything? Let's face it, Prime. If anyone, yourself included, would have known the truth we wouldn't have gotten this far or survived for long for that matter. We all had our reasons to do what we did. It's the way it is and I highly recommend you just warn everyone to keep out of our business."

The Prime nodded slowly. This wasn't exactly how he had hoped this to go, but at least he had some answers.

"And how does that sparkling fit in? And don't say it doesn't exist. I definitely saw one the other day."

Ghoststorm growled and would have probably attacked Optimus if her sons wouldn't have held her back and trapped her on Sunstreaker's lab. The femme looked even smaller between the large warriors, but it was very obviously where especially the yellow twin had his temper from, although they weren't "really" related.

"Relax, mum. Prime won't hurt him. He isn't like that."

"Not to mention that we won't let anyone near enough to even try" Prowl added calmly over his energon. As if they'd ever let any harm befall their little brother or their creator. It would take a lot more than just a Prime and the Autobot army for that to happen. In fact, he wouldn't hesitate to show the Unmaker himself what it meant to mess with Ghoststrom's creations. The twins weren't the only ones who had picked up certain aspects of their adopted creator's character.

Again Prime nodded slowly to himself. He really would never harm a sparkling, not knowingly, and he also had no doubts that everyone would lose the will to try when glared at like that by the majority of their officers, not to mention their best melee fighters.

"I see. I guess I better leave now. Am I right to assume that I can still count on finding everyone in the med bay?"

"You can bet" the mech replied, not less amused. If not at their assigned posts they had always been most likely in the med bay, even if perfectly healthy. It had always provided the most comfort to them, especially the younglings. Heck, they had probably played behind the counter of Ratchet's office more often than out on the streets.

Contrary to his words the Autobot leader didn't leave right away. Instead he watched the weapon specialist rejoin the others and after a moment he even spotted a small heap of red and white parts moving over the table. It certainly was cute, although the sight of most of his trusted officers and his most ruthless warriors gushing all over it was rather strange.

Prime had half a mind to just join them, but the femme had made it clear that his presence wasn't appreciated at all and she very likely had good reasons to, at least from her point of view.

Well, there was always the security system, although he doubted that between Jazz and Prowl any camera in this room had been left functioning, so all he could do was probably inform everyone about the situation.

He didn't look forward to that. The humans definitely would freak out when he tried to explain that the Cybertronian understanding of gender had nothing to do with reproduction – in fact, technically everyone of them could end up carrying – and that relationships usually weren't influenced by either. His own people would probably take it better, especially when they heard a sparkling was involved and … holy Primus, he would have to make the base sparkling safe!

They were definitely doomed, but as long as the little one kept laughing like that he guessed it could be worse.


	3. Darkness

Rejoice, for I also bring forth a new chapter and the news of at least two more in work.

All hail the mighty plot bunnies!

In other words: I give up. I really thought I was done with this, but now I officially reopen this story. I just like it too much to not write around in it and I like the concept. If you couldn't tell until know, the first part is always set in the past before the war, at least until now, and the second part is set after the Bay movie 07. The past is not chronologically, except for the first chapter, the present is.

This story now also has a story line Oo.

XXXXXX_  
_

Ghoststorm certainly would have deserved a sheltered youth with creators that loved her as much as she loved her own charges, but on orns like this Ratchet was very glad that she had grown up on the streets. Not because it made her all the more determined to spare the twins and Prowl that fate, but because it had made her incredible fast and good at hiding; two abilities she knew how to put to good use when the medic by chance saw Shockwave heading for his office.

Within a sparkbeat had the femme grabbed all five younglings and was gone, fear and determination to keep out of the purple scientists reach fuelling her better than energon ever could.

Shockwave was a cruel mech. Life had no meaning to him, least of all that of others. They had once made the mistake to let him see the younglings and the way he had looked at them had spoken volumes about his intentions, all of pure scientifically nature, since that was long since forbidden for a reason. The look he had given Ghoststorm however had been absolutely _not_ scientifically and Ratchet wanted to purge his tanks just thinking about it.

The medic wished he could just ask Ironhide to come over and loom over Megatron's right hand until the mech finally left again, but then Shockwave would know that they feared him and Primus knew that would definitely make matters worse. Still he opened their bond and let his mate know what was going on. While on duty they only did that in a case of emergency and if this wasn't an emergency nothing was.

"I heard your little day-care project got a new addition" Shockwave said as soon as he had let himself in. No knocking, no greeting, just his two bodyguards, like always. Thank Primus was that only very seldom, but still too often.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play dumb on me. I know you took in a sparkling recently and that you are hiding the other younglings here somewhere. It has also come to my attention Lord Megatron is missing a sparkling."

Ratchet had to congratulate himself for not freaking out. Officially Ironhide and he had adopted an abandoned sparkling, assuming that Lord Megatron would never admit that it was his, but if the Lord High Protector made his claim known they would lose poor little Starscream again. It would break Jazzy's spark and theirs, not to mention that he had reasons to highly doubt Star would survive long around his carrier and his followers.

"Oh really? That would mean Lord Megatron got sparked, doesn't it? Now that's a story I have to hear."

As a rule Shockwave only showed few emotions – not that he could with hardly any faceplates – but now he was angered and instead of continuing their banter he send his guards out to search the place.

"Where is that little apprentice of yours?"

"Running an errant for me. I doubt she'll be back anytime soon" Ratchet replied, praying that Ghoststorm had found a way to escape the building, or at least a safe place to hide. She knew very well how to avoid guards and the like, so if she got away nobody would ever find her unless she wanted to be found.

"Shockwave, this is uncalled for. I told you they aren't here, not that it's of any business to you to begin with."

"I decide what is and is not uncalled for" the scientist replied, growing more and more impatient when his guards couldn't find anything.

"Boss, they aren't here."

"As I already told you" Ratchet pointed out again with a hint of smugness. By now Shockwave was furious anyway, so it didn't matter much.

"I know they are here. You can't always shield them" the other growled, then left the medic and the office in chaos.

Slowly counting the mech tried measure the time and the distance between himself and Shockwave and only called Ironhide up when he was sure the mad scientist was hopefully already half way out of the city.

"Are you alright? Ah, frag, look at this mess."

"Did you expect something else? Let's clean up."

Cleaning wasn't referring to the datapads and tools and what else like around everywhere, but mainly to make sure Shockwave hadn't left them any surprises and only when they found nothing they tried to hail Ghoststorm, but she didn't answered.

"You think she panicked?"

Ratchet shrugged. Ghoststrom was prone to panicking and it usually took a while until she calmed down enough. Frag, considering Shockwave had surprised them the femme would probably not return for the rest of the orn, if she thought the situation called for it. The pair really didn't like to be separated from their little ones for so long, even if it was necessary. Sadly enough this wasn't the first time something like this happened and would not be the last time either.

Well, there was nothing they could do right now and they trusted Ghoststorm to keep the younglings safe. All they could do now was clean this mess up and hope the femme would return soon.

The couple had hardly started when a knock interrupted them, or rather a thud, coming not from the door, but the opposite direction. There however was only the window, with a considerable nice view over the district, Jazz waving happily at them and …

"Oh sweet Primus, Jazzy!"

With all the hast and clumsiness of creators in full panic mode the pair stormed to the window, opened, or rather almost ripped the frame out in Ironhide's case, and secured the grinning sparkling, who dangled from Prowl's servos. The older mechlet was in return held by the twins, who clinked to Ghoststorm with their other servos, since the femme was busy holding Starscream and an edge right under the roof.

"Help, like, right now!"

Instantly Ironhide ran up the stairs to pull the femme up while Ratchet remained at the window, arms outstretched, repeating over and over again `Don't let go, don't let go, for all that is good and holy, just don't let go!´.

Ghoststorm would have probably given him a `just how stupid do you think I am´ glare if she would have been able to, but since she couldn't she just hung on until Ironhide had puller her and the little ones up. A moment later Ratchet also joined them on the roof.

"Just … just how did you end up there?" the medic asked, checking everyone for injuries while forcing himself to ignore the calls of `Again!´ coming from three of the five younglings – four, considering Starscream couldn't talk yet.

"They searched up here first. I didn't have time to think of something better ... well, I guess that wasn't really thought through, but it worked."

"Please tell me you didn't just leap over the edge and hoped there would be something to hold onto."

"Of course not. I knew beforehand the edge would be there."

That was definitely not the answer the other two wanted to hear, but they couldn't throttle her with the younglings present either. Trust Ghoststorm to know this building good enough to leap over the right edge. He hadn't even known they had any edge to begin with.

"Who was that?"

The adults froze. Prowl's question was innocent and justified considering that they had almost fallen from a five story building, but the possible way's to answer it were dark and definitely not suited for younglings. Still, it was either satisfying their curiosity now or risk that they revealed themselves the next time.

"His designation is Shockwave" Ghoststorm explained slowly, after getting the silent agreement from the other two. "And you must never ever show yourself to him. In fact, it's best when he doesn't find out you even exist. He's … _not safe_!"

That didn't even come close to the true horrors covering Shockwave's path, but it was a sufficient description for younglings. As their hiding place proved had the femme a very lose definition of `safe´ and the youngsters knew that. Having her of all people tell them something was `not safe´ ... that one sentence and the horrified tone their adopted creator/caretaker had used would stay with the younglings for vorns to come.

* * *

Optimus Prime had already seen much in his life, but to turn around only for a moment to suddenly find a mainly white sparkling sitting on his desk, head cocked in silent contemplation, was definitely new.

"Hi."

The sparkling – he remembered him being called `Red´ – chirped silently in return and the Prime wondered how he had gotten away from his overly protective family. In the two months since Starscream and Ghoststorm had joined them he had hardly ever seen the sparkling. It bothered him, to be honest, that even Ironhide would regard him with suspicion, but could to a point understand it. That however did not explain his visitor.

"How did you get here?"

Again the sparkling just chirped and cocked his head in the other direction. The little one didn't shy away when the adult mech reached out to pick him up, but he did eye the servo with a mixture of curiosity and mistrust and examined it thoroughly before pulling it closer and gnawing on it.

"Oh dear, now I can definitely see the family resemblance. I better get you back, before things escalate."

This time the chirp sounded like an agreement and so the Prime rose and headed for most secluded area of the developing base that the two families had claimed as theirs. It could have been just as well a base of its own and they seldom left it. He had hoped that matter would solve itself with time and he would have gladly given them all the time they needed, but the reports he had gathered showed clearly that they just didn't have time.

"She's gonna kill us!"

"Worse, she's gonna ground us, forever!"

"How is that worse?"

"Eternal boredom?"

"The horror!"

Prime sighed and bounced the sparkling a bit to keep him entertained. Giving him back to his brothers would probably be easier than facing his carrier, but then a door opened to his right and none other than Ghoststorm stepped out, obviously pulled out of a much needed recharge by the noise. She wanted to say something, then noticed Prime and the sparkling and growled, blades snapping out of her forearms.

"Yours?"

That was probably the wrong thing to ask. The femme crouched down, ready to attack.

"Give him back" she growled.

"I certainly mean no harm. He was suddenly in my office. If you wish me to set him down, I will, but I have a feeling he is very fast."

"Mum, is okay, Prime's a decent mech and honest to a fault. When he says he means no harm he really means it."

For a moment it seemed Ghoststorm hadn't even heard him, but then the blades vanished again and she slowly edged closer. Prime held the sparkling out to her and she pressed him to her chest and jumped back into a safe distance as soon as she could.

"Mum ..."

Whatever Sideswipe had wanted to say was lost in the sound of two nearly identical slaps.

"I told you to watch him, not let him walk to the enemy you stupid over grown ..."

"Storm!"

The femme snapped out of it and starred just as shocked at her still raised servo as the twins and by now also the rest of her family did.

"I ... oh, Primus, I'm sorry! What have I done? So sorry."

"Okay, okay, mum? Mum, relax, it's not so bad."

"Yeah, didn't even hurt. Everything is alright."

"No! No, no, no. I hit you. I don't such things. What if I do it again? Primus, I'm becoming just like them."

From the look of it Ghoststorm was caught between hyperventilating and crying and her sparkling wasn't off any better, except that he made no sound.

"Storm, calm down. You're scaring Red Alert" Ironhide grumped and like turning a switch the femme suddenly was at least physically calm. No matter how prone to panic she was, for her charges Ghoststorm always would have done everything. It was what made her a good parent and the warrior had no qualms to tell her just that, although it had been quite shocking to see her slap her sons. The twins in special had never been easy to deal with, but the femme had still brought them up without ever raising a servo against them until now. This development was worryingly and she wasn't responding to the assurances, not even when Prowl, Jazz and Starscream joined them. At least she let them her into their improvised living room.

Unsure of what to do the Prime followed them. He didn't like intruding their privacy like this, but he had important things to discuss.

"We have to talk."

"Bad timing, Optimus. Can't it wait?"

Wordlessly he handed the medic a data pad and watched Ratchet and Ironhide pale.

"It seems we're not safe here anymore."

It was amazing how such a simple comment could make his best warriors tense as if Unicron's arrival had been announced.

"Is a family intern thing, OP. You see, when we were, like, really small Storm here used that phrase to warn us about Shockwave and since then it got stuck. `Not safe´ is just what we describe everything that equals `Shockwave is coming´."

Prime nodded. He had actually witnessed Jazz happily heading out for a mission that had been called `suicidal´ by Prowl, only to stay back at base to work over the plans again without complains when the tactician had called it `not safe´. He had thought that time it was a sign for the blossoming relationship between his officers, but obviously he had been wrong.

"It seems this time it doesn't matter how we phrase it. According to this message from Mirage Shockwave _is_ heading this way" Prowl said after a look on the data-pad and Ghoststorm whimpered.

"No, please, everyone, but not him."

"Don't worry. He won't get you here."

The femme gave the seeker a weak smile.

"I still have vivid nightmares about the last time you said that, Star, so excuse me if I don't believe you."

A short glance to Starscream confirmed that it had been indeed horrible and should never again be spoken of.

"Well, but now we are here, too. You kept us safe when we were small and now you're the small one."

"Talking about coming to full circle eh?"

Weak laughter, then Ghoststorm sighed and slowly relaxed, adjusting her hold on Red Alert.

"There is one smaller than me that I'm more worried about."

"If you could maybe come to the rec room and let him be seen by the others I could guarantee you my men would be more than happy to help protecting him, not to mention it would prevent quite some chaos if the little one decides to again sneak around on his own."

The femme hesitated, watching the Prime with a measuring glace.

"I ... I will think about it."

"Thank you. In fact, you all should show your faces now and then" the Prime noted, careful to not sound accusingly, but to have his whole command body virtually vanish after the arrival of two Decepticons ...

"Do you have any idea what it took from us to deny our relations for so long? The war is over, let us be."

"I wish it would be that easy, but it's not. I'm well aware how much all of us are in your dept for that and I fully understand that you wish to spend time with your families, but I already heard some ... nasty rumours and it doesn't help anyone if this gets out of hand."

The mechs in question gave each other questioning glances, communicating through bonds so far they shared them and Prime considered to leave and give them time, when Ratchet spoke up.

"We already lost our sons once. We won't let this war take them again."

"Well ... with Megatron gone and Soundwave officially missing Shockwave is now leader of the Decepticons. Except within a few subgroups the hierarchy had no real structure after that" Starscream said hesitatingly, keeping optic contact with Ghoststorm. The eons under Megatron had welded them together as close as they hoped to be with their families again someday, but there were things Autobots could not understand, not yet, maybe never.

"Then we will kill him."

**TBC**


	4. Loss

And here is chapter 4. It's longer than the other chapters and the last part is a bit chaotic, but well.

Reviews are your friends and mine and pretty please tell me how you like the story and the chapter. It's great when you put it into your favourites, but it doesn't tell me what I did good and where I need to improve.

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They really should have expected this would happen, but between their jobs, raising the younglings and hiding them from Shockwave – who obviously had nothing better to do than drop by now and then– not even Ghoststorm had remembered this particular problem. Shockwave on the other hand had, because who else would have put the officials on their trail.

Granted, in many cases the laws regulating adoptions certainly were necessary, but the small femme was without question the best surrogate creator a youngling could wish for. It was hardly her fault that she had grown up in the slums of Kaon on her own, neither was she to blame that their system didn't allow people of her origin to legally adopt anyone.

Sadly enough this matter couldn't be solved by hanging from the edge of a roof. The younglings were too big and too heavy for that now anyway. They had been lucky that one of Ironhide's friends had been able to warn them in time to get Ghoststorm's most precious belongings out of her flat. Since she couldn't just rent another or move in with the bonded pair they had brought her to another friend of theirs, one where nobody would ever search for younglings, or anyone else for that matter.

Now, one would think that their situation was already bad enough as it was, but there was always a `worse´, as Ratchet and Ironhide they had to find out after only three orns of waiting, because on the one orn their workload forced them to also leave Starscream and Jazz with Ghoststorm two officers send by senate knocked at Ratchet's door. Of course they didn't just leave when he told them that Ghoststorm didn't work here anymore, but instead wanted to know where his mate and charges where.

Accompanied by the feeling of impending doom the medic called his mate over and together they went to a more secluded district of the city where one of Ratchet's oldest and best friends had his lab and apartment.

"Ratchet, Ironhide, I didn't expect you back so soon" the mainly white and green mech greeted and motioned them to come in. The two officers he ignored completely, but they shrugged it off. They were after all just doing their job and it wasn't as if they wouldn't rather hunt down real criminals instead of going after wayward younglings. If there would have been reports of abuse it would be different, but an unregistered femme taking care of street-younglings? No, that didn't sound like something they had to go after as thoroughly as Adviser Shockwave demanded, but that were politics for you.

"We were also surprised" Ratchet replied darkly, but banned those feelings again when two mechlets stormed in their direction, one squealing and jumping into Ironhide's arms, the other clinking to his legs.

"It's alright, Starling. Everything is alright."

"You left" the youngling stated, strangely detached. Although he shouldn't be able to remember it Starscream had always had had troubles with being left with anyone but Ghoststorm and the femme was only an exception because just like his adoptive creators she had always been there, because she was family.

"We had much work to do, but we came back and we always will, alright?"

The little flier nodded, but only relaxed when he was picked up and snuggled toughly.

"As touching as it is to watch you, could someone please explain me what is going on here?"

"Sorry, Wheeljack. They are searching for my apprentice. You haven't seen her, have you?"

"Ghoststorm?" Wheeljack asked innocently. "Nice femme. Is she in trouble?"

"Sir, we need to know where the femme and the younglings in her custody are" one of the officers interrupted and the mechanic and part time inventor frowned.

"I've been only watching these two."

"Do you mind if we have a look around?"

"Not at all. Just do yourself the favour and don't touch anything. The neighbours have a very low tolerance for explosions around this time of the orn."

For the sake of their peaceful life, or what was left of it, Ironhide decided against mentioning that everything Wheeljack touched, even a harmless little light bulb, could become the most dangerous weapon. It was something he actually liked about the inventor/mechanic, but not when their sparklings were involved. Now however that also worked in their favour.

The officers had obviously heard about Wheeljack and his little accidents before and kept their servos to themselves. An agonising joor later they left and even apologised for the trouble and since the mechanic had an order in his chaos that couldn't be replicated they didn't have to search for listening devices or cameras for long.

"Jack, where are Storm and the wee ones?"

"Well, you remember what I said about the explosions? No, don't look at me like that. You see, I actually only have one neighbour and one of said explosion blasted a hole in the wall" the inventor explained gleeful and pushed a massive looking cupboard aside, revealing a hole that was large enough for them to just walk through.

"We kind of never had it fixed" he admitted cheeky and then introduced the couple to Perceptor, a small and through and through friendly scientist.

"It's nice to meet you. I've already heard a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same."

"Don't worry, Boss. He's alright" Ghoststorm pointed out from where she peacefully played with her charges on the floor.

"And smart."

"Like, really smart" the twins pointed out, obviously still impressed by whatever the mech had told them.

"Yes, thank you very much" the femme deadpanned.

"Ada is also smart, but different."

"That I can live with."

"What did they want from us anyway?"

It was a justified question, but not one any of them really wanted to answer.

"They ... don't really like me."

"Like Shockwave?"

"No, not ... really. That between Shockwave and me is personal, but those officers must never find you three either."

"Star and Jazz?"

Ghoststorm gave her mentor a pleading look, but this was something she had to explain then on her own and now was the best time to start with it.

"No, they are safe, because Ratch and Hide are their creators, but ..."

"But you're our ada! Why is that different?"

"Because my own creators were horrible, so I grew up on the streets, like you. I am not registered. I'm not allowed to adopt you and that's why they technically have the right to take you away from me and put you in an orphanage."

The younglings starred at their surrogate creator in various stages of panic. They had been in an orphanage before and had decided to rather live on the streets instead for good reasons. That Ghoststorm had found and taken them in still felt like a dream to them. They knew there were also those that didn't have so much luck, but that their favourite femme was one of those unlucky ones ...

"I won't let them, don't worry, but that's why we have to make them believe that I don't exist and most importantly that you aren't connected with me, at least for a while."

"But ... but that's not fair!"

"Law is bad."

"No, Prowlie. The law is actually something good. It protects people and makes sure the bad guys get punished. It just ... it's imperfect."

"Then ... can't we change the law?"

"Sadly it's not so easy. I can't change anything, but how about you do something about it when you're an adult?"

The black and white mechling frowned deeply, which looked absolutely adorable at this age, but after a moment he grinned widely.

"Okay. I change the law and then we can be together."

Satisfied for now the three mechlings tackled their caretaker and Ghoststorm snuggled back. They would have this kind of talk more often and with time she would have to tell them that they wouldn't be able to change the law either, although the green femme had made sure to properly register them.

The law of their kind wasn't bad, but inflexible and unfair unless you were sparked into the right social class and only the senate could change it. Many were suffering under the injustice, but the high ups had been refusing to do anything about it for centuries. At this time it wasn't yet tangible, but deep down all five adults already knew that someday things would escalate. Until then however all they could do was hope for the best and deny.

XXXXXX

"Star, seriously, if it bothers you that much you could have just say a word" Ghoststorm groaned, throwing the terrified seeker his modified null-rays. Really, with the way he acted one could think the other hadn't been air commander of the Decepticon for countless vorns, but then again, that was part of the problem right now and one of the reasons he was safely tucked between his adoptive creators and his big ... _older_ brother. At least with his weapons back he started to relax.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologising, Star. We talked about it and we love you, no matter what. Now sit down and stop making Storm twitchy."

"And we told you you're safe with us" Prowl noted, not even looking up from his datapad. Whatever he was doing it had to be really important when he favoured it over directly interacting with his family, but he of course sat with them in the rec room, although at least Ghoststorm and Starscream would rather be somewhere else.

Giving the room at large a mistrusting glaze the dark femme returned her attention to Red Alert on her lab. Shielded from everyone's view by her legs the sparkling didn't mind the crowd much, but sadly his presence didn't have the effect Prime had anticipated. The glares they received really didn't help the former Decepticons with their issues, but two familiar faceplates lifted their mood notable.

"What do my scorched optics see? Storm, is that you?"

"Jacky! Percy! Primus, it has been eons. How are you? I didn't know you are here."

"That is hardly a surprise, but to answer your question: We are fine, although this planet is rather irritating. Fascinating, but irritating" the small scientist replied amused, bending over the table to clasp her outstretched servo.

"Under what stone have you been hiding all that time anyway? Do you know how miserable everyone has been?"

"Yes, Jack. I think I have a pretty good idea" the femme replied. Of course she knew, had always know, but it couldn't be helped. "And about where I've been ... you remember Star?"

The scientists turned around and greeted the seeker like a long missed friend. That he was supposed to be the enemy, but that hardly bothered them. They knew him and the other youngsters after all since they had been small enough for even Peceptor to carry them around.

"Oh. Now I get it. Well, we surely wouldn't have searched you there."

"Yes, that's a common problem. I heard my mechlets were rather troublesome."

"Not for us."

"Of course not. You're family" Sideswipe proclaimed. "Left aside that messing with Jack usually ends in an explosion or two and you can never be sure what Percy is doing."

"That is true" the smaller scientist admitted and was pushed next to Ghoststorm. Their booth was starting to get too small for all of them, but they would be damned if they didn't try.

"Cute."

"What?"

"The sparkling."

"Oh. Yeah, Red Alert really is cute. No touching, through. I'm sensitive in that matter."

There was cruel laughter from a nearby table and the group tensed.

"Oi, Cliff, what are you laughing about out."

"A sensitive Decepticon, what a joke. Someone like that shouldn't be allowed to care for a sparkling in the first place."

It was only thanks to being around Decepticons for so long that Ghoststorm was fast enough to grab the twins before they could tear the minibot the shreds.

"Let him be. I know that type of mech well enough, all talk and no action. Besides, I've seen more than enough energon being shed to last me for several lifetimes. I don't want to you add to that, please."

"Oh no, the universe will collapse, a Decepti-creep not being up for some slaughtering. That _has_ to be a sign."

"A sign that you walk a fine line, minibot."

"Sunny, it's alright. I know you. You're above such things. Just ignore him" Ghoststorm tried to calm the yellow twin. The talk of the small mech was getting to her, but she was used worse and as long as the other made no attempts to get closer she saw no reason to let one of her boys get into trouble, or at least not more so than they already were. Primus, they should have just stayed in their secluded area. Screw Prime and his stupid ideas.

"But mum ..."

"Mum? As in `mother´? Oh, I knew it, I _knew_ it! Traitors, all of you. I always said they would have been better off with the Decepticons and now we all know why. You should have just spared us all the trouble and gone with your ..."

It wasn't that Cliffjumper suddenly came to his senses, but it was hard to continue talking when a gun was shoved into your mouth, not to mention that the shock of just who was the one on the trigger would have left him utterly speechless anyway.

"You're what?" Prowl hissed dangerously "Go on, Cliff, go on. You never had any restrains when running your big trap. Go on and give me a reason."

"Er, Prowlie ..."

"No. I've had to hear this slag for countless vorns, this is where I draw the line. Bad mouth my brothers or my mother one more time, Cliffjumper, and I'll show you just how much of a Decepticon we truly have in our systems."

It had obviously not yet made the round that Prowl considered the twins his brothers, but his family wasn't less surprised about the usually calm and logical mech's unusual behaviour, in case of the twins positively awestruck. From his seat Jazz whistled impressed.

"Wow, baby, and here I was thinking that fall out would never happen."

"Our little Prowlie finally shows the family resemblance. I'm so proud" Sideswipe cried with fake tears, holding onto his twin and the table in a fruitless attempt to not laugh hysterically at the minibots expression. Ghoststorm didn't think it was quite as funny. Impressive and very much after her liking, but not funny. This wasn't what she had wanted her boys to become.

"Prowlie, dear spark, I know you mean well, but that's not the way. I'm sure you got laws for that or something. Let him go."

"You taught me a lot about laws, mum. That if I work hard enough I can change them for the well of everyone. Well, I worked hard and now I'm the second in command and the disciplinary officer. In Prime's absence I _am_ the law."

To that the femme knew nothing to reply. Prowl had always been the smartest of them and seeing that Prime wasn't here right now his logic was flawless and his evil smirk justified, so she just shrugged and motioned him to go on.

"Er, Storm? Shouldn't you stop him?"

"Prowlie is an adult mech and, as he already pointed out, the law around here. Why should an evil Decepticon bitch like me do anything but sit back and enjoy the show?"

Ratchet rolled his optics and just knocked Cliffjumper out before things could escalate anymore than Prowl and his surrogate creator on the brink of causing a major uproar, if not a full out brawl. It was probably for the better to drag the minibot out of sight.

"You are impossible. Storm, when did you become so cynical?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Point taken. Now calm down already. You're here, not evil and this is not Cybertron. The senate is long gone and Red is yours by spark right, so nobody can take him away from you."

"And we are all adults" Sunstreaker pointed out and pulled Prowl back to them. Growling the tactician went back to his pad. Had the yellow mech been in Prowl's position things would have probably already escalated, but Sideswipe still crackling over their twin-bond kept his ire in check. "With Prowlie on our side we can do what we want to ensure we stay together."

"Actually have I already been bending rules left and right for you two all the time" the tactician admitted just when Prime came storming in after being alerted about the situation.

"What in Primus name is going on here?"

"Some people just have a talent to dig up wounds that go very deep" Ironhide replied out, glaring at everyone, although after Prowl's display nobody would have dared to say anything else anyway.

"In other words: we don't take well to any threats against one of us."

"And if I hear only one more comment about my brothers or our mother ever again I'll personally tear that someone apart. Mum, please sign this here, here and here."

"I almost miss the Decepticons. They at least never pretended to be nice in the first place" the femme sighed, blindly signing at the pointed spots. "Primus, if this is what the Autobots really are like I seriously wonder why I always kept this."

It was strange and also rather horrifying to see Ghoststorm rub the violet paint on her chestplates away, revealing an Autobot symbol.

"You had that all this vorns? And called me suicidal?" Starscream asks silently, trying to duck behind Ironhide. All that had separated the femme from certain deactivation was a thin layer of paint? Seriously, one would think she was smarter than that.

"I was a deep cover agent ... without anyone on either side knowing, I'll admit that. You on the other hand openly back-talked to the biggest, meanest guy with the heaviest gun. But I have to give it to old scrap heap: thanks to him I don't have to worry about someone taking any of you away."

"Oh, even if the senate would still exist they couldn't do anything anymore" Prowl said with a smirk, copying the content of his pad on several others. "You just rightfully adopted us. The documents date back to the time I roughly estimate you found us."

"Seriously?" Jazz wondered while his carrier grabbed for one of the datapads and thoroughly scanned its contents.

"That ... is perfect. If I wouldn't know it's fake ..."

"And sadly it's the only copy. I kept it close for sentimental reason. That's how it survived the war in contrast to the archives in Altihex."

"That's brilliant, Prowlie."

"Mama didn't raise an idiot" the tactician grinned, moving his creator to tears.

"Primus, what did I do to deserve you?" the femme hiccupped, almost breaking into tears, and was instantly hugged by her grinning creations. To them nothing had changed. They had always thought of Ghoststorm as their creator and she of them as her creations, but it still meant a lot to her.

"Do you want an alphabetical list?"

"As much as I hate to spoil the moment, I'd be eternally grateful if you could let me get up first" Perceptor requested muffled from within the pile. Not that he minded much, neither to be picked up and reached over Ghoststorm to Starscream, who sat him next to his own creators. He trusted them to be careful and trust was after all the key element in their strange family. The trust that they would keep each other safe in their own ways and the trust that Starscream and Ghoststorm had had their reasons to leave and would return.

Well, trust well founded.

"So, now that we got mum happy, what can we do to make you relax?" Sideswipe asked, hoisting Ghoststorm to sit between Sunstreaker and Prowl so he could pull Starscream closer. The femme didn't see being manhandled quite as relaxed as Perceptor, but let them.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, Star. You're tense, jumpy and far too subdued. There's gotta be something we can do to make you get better."

"I ... can thing of a thing or two?" the seeker replied, not entirely back to his old self – `old´ meaning in this case how he had been before the war – but there was a hint of playful suggestiveness in it again.

They exchanged meaningful glazes and the next moment the twins already climbed over the table, Starscream hanging over Sunstreaker's and he didn't seem to be unhappy about it.

"We'll bring him back. Later."

"Much later."

And gone they were, greeting Inferno on their way out.

"Hi, guys. Wait, Starscream? When you are here and they are grinning ... Hide, Ratch! Man, it's been eon."

"Is there any chance I will ever get something resembling order again?" Prime groaned, withstanding the urge to look after the twins and their package. They had all known the twins had an unhealthy fixation on fliers and seekers in special. He didn't and at the same time did want to know the origin of that fixation very badly.

"War is over, Prime, and family comes first. Ferno, my friend. Good to see you made it. You remember Ghoststorm?"

"The femme that cost me my job? Of course I do" the red mech laughed, irritating the small femme.

"I did what?"

"Ferno worked for the senate. Remember those officers? He warned us about them."

"Eh, I was far down the hierarchy and I hated my job. Getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to me, but I could help a friend out, so I guess it served its purpose."

"I … guess."

"Relax, Storm. Ferno is okay, really. Would we let him this close otherwise?"

"No, of course not. Sorry. I guess I just was in too dark places for too long" the Ghoststorm sighed, leaning against Prowl. Inferno frowned, then turned his headlights on. The dark femme starred at the other, then started to chuckle and made room for the red mech.

"I think I won't need long to get used to you."

"I sure hope so. Hey, that little one yours?"

"Yes. Red Alert is very fascinated with everything that is red."

"Guess that explains his name. Where is his co-creator?" Inferno asked, wiggling his fingers in front of the sparkling face. The mechlet followed the movement hypnotised, ignorant to his creator tensing.

"Let's just say he got what he deserved and never talk about him again."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I'm not. Having this little buddle of joy certainly made up for the inconvenience."

"And what makes that us?" Prowl asked amused. Of course were neither he nor the twins jealous, but seeing their adoptive creator like this made him wonder if she had also been like this with them.

Well, considering they had been older than Red Alert probably not quite like this, but he fondly remembered her loving care and the snuggles she wasn't above to inflect on them even now.

Thank Primus.

"My bubbling trio of happiness, my basked full of sunshine? I can't really decide."

"Just say `my beloved sons´ and they will be happy" Wheeljack suggested laughing, only to be told that he should listen very closely to such talks and remember them well.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"I might have ... delayed telling you something" Perceptor admitted meekly, but more he didn't say.

"Are you saying ..."

"Oh, Percy, I'm so happy for you. You hear that, little Red. Soon you will have a little friend to play with."

The next moment Wheeljack laid on the floor, the fins at each side of his head blinking on.

"Did he just crash on us?"

"Jup."

"Don't sound so gleeful, Hide. If memory serves you reacted exactly the same way" Ghoststorm reminded. Of course that was a bit execrated, but with the way Ironhide had freaked out he certainly had no reason to make fun of the inventor.

"So, Prowlie, when will you and Jazz bond and give us some grandchildren? ... Prowlie? Damn, I thought he got over that eons ago" the dark medic wondered and slipped under the table to her son, checking him for injuries. Wheeljack could walk out of the numerous explosions just fine, a little crash surely wouldn't harm him, but she wasn't so sure the same applied for Prowl.

"Hate to tell you, Storm, but no one ever gets over talking about interfacing with their creators."

**TBC**


	5. Treachery

I really tried to move the centre of the story away from Ghoststorm, but that was just not possible in this chapter for good reasons. Someone had to do the translation stuff, but read for yourself XD

I must say I came to like this way of storytelling and –writing. It provides a challenge and an opportunity. I had had anything planed out when I wrote the first chapter, for both timelines, but I still made it work :)

There will be one more chapter, an epilogue of sorts and, on an off note, those of you who've read "A Different Approach/Position" might have notice that recently I'm in a mood to torture Optimus a bit XD

XXXXXX

It wasn't what he had thought it would be, Starscream decided, watching Lord Megatron from afar. He hadn't expected to be welcomed as the long lost son and heir he technically was, but a bit more than being dismissed like all the other recruits he had expected and, for the record, Shockwave's dark glare, chilling as it was, didn't count. It was a major setback, but of course didn't stop him. He would make Megatron accept him for what he was, he would take his righteous place at his creator's side and he would do whatever was necessary to archive that. He had _plans_ ... but that hardly a stellar-cycle after he had joined the Decepticons Ghoststorm would burst in when Lord Megatron was addressing his soldiers definitely hadn't been part of it. Granted, Lord Megatron hadn't had anything overly important to say, but everyone had been there and so had she, her once green paintjob now dark and scratched, the blue visor replaced with a red one and her once constantly smiling faced pulled into a serious yet defiant frown while she laid open her reason for interrupting so boldly.

"What was that?"

"I said I want to join you. You need me and I need a job" Ghoststorm replied, head held high. If she was in any way impressed by the dark mech with thrice as much mass as she had looming over her, she didn't show it.

"And why, do tell, should I need you, little femme?"

"My Lord, I don't think it's very wise to let her join" Shockwave interfered, stepping out of his master's shadow. "She is the apprentice of that medic, Ratchet."

"Is that so, femme?"

"If you replace `apprentice´ with `cleaning drone´ I'd be more tempted to agree."

"Liar!"

"Creep!"

"Silence!" Megatron shouted, his gesture almost a hit against the purple mech, if he would have finished the move, or the small femme, if he would have aimed lower. Still it was just as effective.

"Explain yourself, femme, and it better be good. Nobody dares to interrupt the mighty Megatron."

"Forgive me, Lord Megatron. It is true that I worked for the medic Ratchet, but only because his pity for me outweighed his sense for economics. Not that I was paid much, mind you, but it got me off the streets, so I didn't complain" Ghoststorm said, as if she actually believed it.

"I ran errands and cleaned up for him, but I also watched him work and learned, more than he was aware of. I was loyal and what did I get in return? Betrayal. I trusted them and they sold me out. I grew up in the slums of Kaon, I can handle all kinds of slag, but I could not legally adopt my charges and they took them from me. I want them to suffer for it and the best way to do it by aiding you."

Starscream had to admit that Ghoststorm was good. The anger and hatred, it sounded so raw, so real, if he wouldn't know it was a lie … but then, they had betrayed him, too, pretending to be his family. Maybe her smile hadn't always been as honest as it had appeared.

"So much for your reason, but why do you think I'm in need of a medic?"

"I've watched this planet spiral down for a long time now. You will bring war upon us all and for a war you need soldiers, but without a medic you soon won't have any soldiers and everyone but me has either lost their license for a good reason or joined the Autobots already. I cannot be a soldier to you or your cause, but I am the best medic you can get and I will be of service to you alone, but I have three conditions."

"My Lord ..."

A harsh gesture made Shockwave fall silence. Megatron rubbed his chin, visible intrigued. She was small and not at all what he would have expected, but her hatred was real and she had the guts to stand before him with such defiance and even make demands when he could crush her so easily.

"You talk lightly about war."

"I don't like the thought, but, like I said, I grew up in Kaon's slums and in a way I never left. I have no rights in this society; when I fall victim to injustice no one stand up for me and I know there are many out there who suffer the same fate. If war is the only way to change things then I will do my part to make it happen under your command."

The large silver mech nodded contemplating. He had heard better, more enthusiastic reasons, but that made this one authentic and honest and she was right, he would need medics and he knew most had already joined his soon-to-be-nemesis. She may not be a fully qualified medic, but the way she presented herself right now made him assume she would at least survive long enough to do her job.

"Name your conditions."

Shockwave was shocked and Ghoststorm allowed a short, smug grin to hush over her lips.

"First: I'm CMO and I report to no one but you, Lord Megatron. Second: in my med bay I make the rules, no exceptions."

"You can't seriously consider ..."

"I am the Lord, Shockwave, I make the decisions. If I set value on your advice I will let you know. Now what is your third condition, Ghoststorm?"

"Keep Shockwave away from me" the small femme said without hesitation. "I don't know why and, frankly, I don't care, but he has been leading a personal vendetta against me for a long time now and I can't work effectively on keeping your army alive when I have to watch my own back all the time."

It was amazing how Shockwave played right into Ghoststorm's servos and how devious the dark femme could be. Now everything Shockwave had brought up against her or would add in the future, no matter if he had hard evidence or not, would forever be doubted and if Megatron noticed Ghoststorm's intentions it only served to amuse him more.

"You intrigue me, femme. If you prove yourself worthy of being my CMO I shall honour your conditions."

"I could take him apart and put him together again right away, although I might forget a vital part or two" Ghoststorm suggested, pointing at Shockwave to add to the humiliation. It wasn't the wisest moved on her part, but the purple mech already hated her anyway, so what difference would it make?

"It seems my advisor is not the only one with a personal vendetta. However, I will not allow in-fighting under my command, is that clear?"

Ghoststorm pulled a face, clearly showing that under other conditions she would rather tear off her own limbs than even consider tolerating Shockwave, but then she stood to attention and bowed, one servo over her spark.

"As you command, my Lord. All hail Megatron."

"All hail Megatron" the crowd echoed and the large mech nodded satisfied, then ordered someone to show Ghoststorm around before dismissing everyone. With a dark and truly vicious glare Shockwave followed his master and the new chief medical officer of the Decepticons followed another mech in the opposite direction, forcing Starscream to wait until he could question his former guardian.

It took some time, but when he had finally cornered the other the young seeker had to learn a very important lesson about the small medic: even if her preferred method of facing trouble was to run, Ghoststorm was a very dangerous femme and also very strong or she couldn't have pressed him into a wall so fast.

"For someone so scared of being abandoned you sure were fast to leave us" she hissed, not allowing Starcream to reply anything. "Because of your stupidity, I had to abandon my beloved sons, so take my advice and keep away from me until you are back to your senses. And let me tell you this: if anything happens to them while I'm not there to protect them, nephew or not, I will make you pay!"

"I'm not your nephew."

"No, not anymore from" the other sneered and left him in pain and alone. She had things to prepare, measures to take to ensure her own survival and the privacy she needed to cry over the loss of her family and pray she would see them again and that they would still want her then.

It took but a few orns to convince Lord Megatron and before his officers and a selected part of the soldiers Ghoststorm pledged her alliance to Megatron and the Decepticons and received the purple emblem, the only shiny part about her paint. Then she took her position on Megatron's left opposite to Shockwave, while their Lord put down that Ghoststorm, as their new CMO, held all power in her med bay. There her word would be law unless Lord Megatron himself said otherwise.

It would take vorns until Starscream realised and admitted to himself what a terrible mistake he had made in assuming his adopted family didn't really love him. Sadly at that point Shockwave was long since aware that Megatron wasn't overly insisting on his promise to keep him away from Ghoststorm and when vorns later Starscream was ready to crawl and beg Ghoststorm for forgiveness they both were already too caught up in a net of intrigues and lies to get out by themselves.

XXXXXX

Being related with the smartest heads of their race wasn't always easy, but when it came to predicting when and where Shockwave would make planet fall it was certainly useful. Sadly the purple mech was hardly impressed by being expected in the fortunately secluded canyon, far away from human settlements. His focus was on the femme standing in front of the majority of her family plus Optimus Prime. Starscream had stayed safely in the base and guarded Red Alert and the other Autobots were hiding close by, just in case. He couldn't know Ghoststorm had been able to put down that Shockwave was first and foremost her enemy, that she would be the one fighting him and no one else, but he still noticed that right now Prime wasn't his opponent and of course he noticed the red emblem where once had been a purple one.

"I knew you were the traitor."

"Of course it was me. I covered their spies, played intel into their servos, repaired and freed prisoners and of course left warnings when their usual routs were discovered. And wasn't it just madding to know all this and have to watch me walk around freely because nobody believed you?"

Shockwave growled, but of course was above just attacking the femme whose sole existence was a thorn in his side. She hadn't just ridiculed him in front of his Lord on many occasions and been defiant towards his superiority, she had also woken _things_ in him that weren't logical or science related and he hated her for it as much as he desired her, always had.

"Except that walking around freely has done you little good, has it?"

Now it was Ghoststorm's turn to growl, but she wouldn't have survived so long if she wouldn't have at least a minimum of self-restraint.

"What? Is that all you're superior cortex can come up with? You're just peeved because I didn't give you the chance to get under my plating. You were always too slow to catch me, Shocky, and too dump."

"Brave words for a small femme that cringes in fear whenever my designation is mentioned."

"You must mistake that for disgust over having to picture your face. And how ironic, the coward floating out of reach is talking about bravery. Are you done with your platonic insults now? I've heard them all before and I must say they are still as boring as the first time."

"Really now. I wonder if your bastard child will think the same after I made him my pet."

"I'd sooner see him dead than anywhere near you" Ghoststorm spat and wasn't execrating at all. In fact, the reason Starscream wasn't with them right now was because he was watching Red Alert and had order to kill the sparkling if there was no other way. It sounded cruel, but every fate the little one could possible meet at Shockwave's servos would be crueller and Starscream owned her a life. After that they would be even again, no matter if the worst case happened or not, and, for the record, Ghoststorm wouldn't let Shockwave walk out of this encounter alive, period.

"If that is all you can do that won't be a problem."

"As much as I love proving everyone that you're dumper than dirt, I fear we have to cut this short."

"Running out of insults already, femme?"

"No, it's more a matter of seeing the silver lining at the horizon, literally" Ghoststorm grinned, gesturing at some point behind the other. Shockwave huffed.

"As if I'd fall for that."

"Suit yourself" the smaller shrugged and suddenly started to run, using the canyon walls and her speed to catapult herself to the purple mech. The other tried to block her, when something collided with him from behind and under the shocked optics of the Autobots the tangled mass fell to the ground.

When the dust had settled again Ghoststorm stood unharmed, as did the stranger that had tackled Shockwave from behind, but not to save him from the small femme. Grinning the dark medic held up Shockwave's head, already calling Starscream to tell him he could stop his `what if Storm fails storm and I really have to kill Red? I can't do that, but I own her and oh, Primus, this is all my fault´ rants he no doubt must have been repeating for the last hour.

The stranger, a silver blue mech with a similar visor as Ghostorm was wearing, nodded in recognition, then held up a trophy of his own. From where they stood the Autobots couldn't quite see what it was, but if one went by the hole ripped into Shockwave's now grey chest it had to be the mad scientist's spark chasing.

The picture of them pointing at each other, laughing soundlessly and then throwing each their trophy in the air for the other to shoot to pieces would have been strange enough, even if Ghoststorm wouldn't have jumped in the other's arms afterwards, only to be twirled around. Then they just stood there, servos flying in strange gestures.

And on top of that was the stranger not so strange but in fact well known and going by the designation Soundwave.

As lost as they seemed in their ritual or whatever they were doing, the sound of weapons being readied had Ghoststorm and Soundwave battle ready back to back in the blink of an eye.

"Guys, take your weapons down and we will do the same.."

"Storm, are you sure you ..."

"Yes, Hide, I know what I'm doing. Now would you please listen to me? I hate to have to point guns at you guys. Wave is a good guy. He's one of us."

"Soundwave is an Autobot?"

Most looked at Optimus Prime questioningly, but the large mech was just as clueless as everyone else.

"No, not you Autobots, _us_ us" Ghoststorm corrected annoyed, yet relieved when finally everyone lowered their weapons, only to tense in time with her when Soundwave started to draw patterns on her doorwing. The small femme then turned around and again they made strange gestures with their servos, ending with Soundwave taking off his face mask and smiling apologetic.

"Okay, just what the Pit is going on here? He was reported dead."

"Hu? Oh, well, you see, Soundwave didn't return from a mission some time ago and nobody knew what happened, so everyone just assumed he was dead" Ghoststorm explained. "Truth is, he defected and did his part to sabotage old bin head. Some time ago he heard about the message Prime had send out and figured it's best to see if it was true. Then he spotted Shockwave and followed him instead. Not that it changed much."

"I'd much rather hear that from him."

"That's impossible."

"And why?"

"Soundwave is mute."

The reaction was hilarious. As a medic Ghoststorm would have bet that optics couldn't become that large, but here she was faced with the proof to be wrong and that Soundwave was giggling madly, through soundlessly behind her wasn't helping either.

Once he had recovered the larger mech again took up drawing patterns on Ghoststorm, although this time on the back of her head.

"Come again?"

"You heard me. Soundwave is mute, always was. He literally can't answer your questions, so I will answer for him."

"And ... you know him good?" Prowl asked carefully neutral. That the other mech was obviously mute was believable. He hadn't heard about a case like this and judging from his frown neither had Ratchet, but it was possible. However, that the mech had defected long ago and was since then secretly aiding the Autobots was hard to believe and in addition had his adoptive creator virtually introduced Soundwave as part of their family. In his optics it was justified to ask, especially considering how close they stood together.

"Better than good. We know each other since forever. Believe me, he's a good guy with an awesome humour. Well, at least I think it's awesome."

"Well, damn!" Sideswipe suddenly announced. "If it makes you happy, okay ..."

"But we won't call him dad!"

"Hu? Why would you ... oh. Oh, that is rich. Wait a klick."

Ghoststorm turned back to Soundwave, grinning and again forming gestures with her servos – it had to be some form of sign language, but not one they had ever seen before – and suddenly the silver-blue mech jumped back, gesticulating wildly and a horror on his faceplates that made Ghoststorm's amused translation unnecessary.

"No, no, no! Sweet Primus, no! No, no, no! She and I? Ew on epic scales! No, no, no!"

"Okay, wait, so you're not bonded?"

"Bonded? Pit, no. Wave is my brother."

The present Autobots froze, then looked at each other questioning only to turn back to the small medic.

"Storm, in all those vorns you never even once mentioned a brother."

The dark femme shrugged.

"We aren't related. Wave got me away from my creators and has watched out for me until we lost each other in one of the riots in Kaon. I thought he was dead and figured the best way to honour his memory would be to use what he taught me for the well of others, so I went to Altihex to become a medic. Imagine my surprise when I was introduced to Megatron's officers vorns later and found him. On the other hand, imagine Megatron's face when his new CMO suddenly started to squeal and his usually expressionless communication officer started to gesture wildly."

"Now you've lost me. How can a mute mech become communication officer?"

"Wave had a voice modulator that allowed him to give short monotone answers. What happened to that thing anyway?"

Soundwave formed a square with his talons and then pulled his servos apart.

"Uh, I understood that" Sideswipe grinned.

"Yes, Swipe, I think we all got that one."

"Did you also realise that he also said he destroyed it himself because it annoyed the Pit out of him?"

"Hu? When did that happen?"

"Not at all. You see, our sign language isn't just based on signs, but also on assumptions. We know each other long and good enough to interpret the gestures and it's always changing, developing. For example: all you saw was that the voice modulator is broken, but you lack the knowledge that Shockwave had build it and we suspected from the start that he used it to spy on us, which brings me to the conclusion that Soundwave destroyed it himself, left aside that he had never been fond of it in the first place. Fortunately Megatron didn't have the time and patience to learn, so he forbid us public display and didn't care about it after that."

"So what you do with your servos the whole time, does it mean the same you are telling us?"

Irritated Ghoststorm looked down at her servos, not having noticed that she had never once stop moving them.

"Oh, yeah, kinda. Force of habit. When we were younglings it was much worse. Sometimes I even forgot I could speak."

"So that's why you hardly said a word when you came to us" Ironhide mused out loud and Ghoststorm agreed.

"That reminds me, if he couldn't talk and you could neither write nor read when you came to us, how did you know his name?"

"Duh, because I was the one naming him, of course."

" ... "

"Well, _I_ thought it was funny and I stand to my decision. Incoming."

A moment later Starscream landed near them, pressed Red Alert into Ghoststrom's arms and stomped right towards Shockwave's corps and stared to kick it repeatedly, cursing the dead mech all the time.

"Er, Star, are you alright?"

The seeker looked up, like waking from a dream, then stomped back to Ghoststorm.

"Never ever ask something like that from me ever again!" he said shaken and pocked the smaller one's chest. The femme just stared back calmly.

"You owned me that, Star, but we are even now, so don't worry."

"Oh, good. Hi, Wave. Weren't you reported dead?"

The silver mech shrugged. It wasn't his fault communication started to fail without him there.

"Well, good to see you up and about" the seeker continued and then went to the twins, who instantly sandwiched him, asking but not receiving answer as to what that was about. Starscream just said that being alone among the Autobots had been a bit taxing, although the general acceptance of his presence had risen since the twins had officially started courting him.

"Yeah, Wave, I know. I can't believe we are finally free from that creep either."

Soundwave waved his servos and repeated the gestures, then pointed at the sparkling in Ghoststorm's arms.

"Oh, right, sorry. That's Red Alert, my sparkling. Yes, Wave, I mean `mine´ as in `I sparked him´, and yes, it has been that long since we last saw each other. No, there is no co-creator, yes, I made sure of that myself and yes, if anyone tells little Red about that they will regret it."

Soundwave raised his servos and then trickled the sparkling, only to suddenly jump away from her again and start to gesticulate wildly.

"What's the matter now?"

"Nothing. He just finally made the connection that you are the sons I was always talking about. I have managed to always keep your identities secret from Megatron and Shockwave and in order to keep it that way I never once used your designations. For clarification: Prowl, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are my creations, Jazz and Starscream that of my mentor Ratchet and his mate Ironhide. We fully expect Prowl and Jazz to bond sooner or later ...

"Mum!"

"And I bet my twins and Star will do the same" the small medic continued amused. "Uh, and you have to meet Wheeljack and Perceptor. They are also expecting a sparkling. You gonna like them. And if you faint on me now I won't drag you along. Hey, don't give me that `unwanted´. You're family, too, of course I want you to come along. I' just saying I won't drag you."

The Autobots watched the bicker, or rather listened to Ghoststorm bicker and watched Soundwave.

"I hate your family. I really do" Prime mumbled after a while, begging silently for some form of godly assistance and wondering just what he had done to deserve to be pulled into this.

"We didn't know about Soundwave either" Prowl defended them, but Optimus pointed out that he meant on principle. It was of course completely exaggerated, but right now it felt as if this one family was more trouble than the whole Decepticon army, not counting that they had allies against them that they hadn't been aware of.

"Relax, OP. At least you now know all of us. Can't get much worse."

"Wanna bet?" the Autobot leader wanted to reply, but Ratchet beat him to it.

"Hide, I want another sparkling."

The black warrior starred at his mate with shock widened optics, then did, at least in Prime's optics, the only right thing, transformed and sped away, not screaming, be he might as well.

"Don't be sad. I'm sure he didn't mean it that way."

"Of course not. That's exactly how he reacted the first time" the medic smirked satisfied and the younger mechs pulled a face while Prime sagged and turned to leave.

"Prime, while you're already at it, could you inform everyone we will be bringing our uncle with us?"

Soundwave snipped to get their attention, servos asking Ghoststorm a question.

"Uncle is the human word for the male siblings of a parent ... which would mean you already accepted him as part of the family. That's a surprise."

"Well, he's obviously important to you" Sunstreaker shrugged and Sideswipe piped in that they were just glad they weren't bonded.

"Okay, just for the record: You are my sons, I love you, but ultimately it's my decision when and to whom I bond. However, I promise I would have informed you if I'd found someone I considered to be a good bondmate, introduced them to you and vice versa and given you time to get used to each other. I also promise I will listen to your opinion on the matter, but it will be my decision."

"Sure. Just saying. It's good it's not him. He's creepy."

Ghoststorm frowned amused and her brother made some rude gestures. Prime just shook his head, repeated to himself that he _really_ hated this family and then just left them standing there, mumbling to himself that he should just retire. Fighting wars had, in a way, been part of the job description, dealing with this slag hadn't.

**TBC**


	6. Bridge

_And the promised epilogue. I've been really busy these past month and kinda lacking the inspiration, but then I just sat down and started writing and this happened._

_XXXXXX  
_

Of all the things one could say about Megatron, he certainly stayed true to his word, mostly at least. He let Ghoststorm rule the med bay and forbid Shockwave to bother her there unless he himself needed medical treatment. In the remaining base however she was on her own, again mostly. In a way Starscream was glad his former guardian had found an ally in Soundwave, unlikely as the combination seemed, and watching them annoy everyone else by simply `talking´ was admittedly quite amusing, but that didn't change that the seeker was angry at her, hated her even at times and he was jealous. Jealous, because he had to fight, lie and cheat his was up the ranks over and she had just marched in, claimed the only free officer position and secured herself two of the most powerful allies of the Decepticon army in a matter of 't fair, but then again, nothing had ever been fair.

The medic and the seeker held onto their grudge against each other for a long time. They didn't go to extremes for it – mostly they just ignored each other, through Starscream would have bet she was especially harsh with him during repairs. However, he had to admit the other was threatening everyone like that, or at least almost and that was the important part. She _made_ differences; of course not for him, because she was angry with the seeker, but those that needed it. It were mostly just small favours, like an orn on medical leave through it wasn't needed, or an alibi, but many of these favours she never called in and then there were those times Ghoststorm no doubt believed herself unseen, when her faceplates would lose the grim determination, anger and fake grins and morph into something so incredible sad that it was a miracle his spark didn't break. During those times her hands would form signs, like the ones she used to communicate with Soundwave. The gestures represented the designations of her creations, but Starscream didn't know that back then and wouldn't for many many vorns to come. Still, it made him consider that he might have done the femme injustice, through that didn't change anything until he got caught.

Well, caught was probably the wrong way to phrase it. It would indicate that the Autobtos had gotten hold of him, which certainly would have spared them all a lot of grieve, but actually it was a collapsing building effectively trapping him. Ghoststorm had never lost a word about it, but the seeker was sure Megatron hadn't ordered his best medic to leave the `safety´ of their base, dig him out, drag his sorry chassis back and put him back together before tending to the damage on her own precious servos. No, the warlord, his carrier for Primus sake, certainly hadn't had anything to do with that.

"Stupid youngling. When will you start using your head for thinking, not just running in open doors?" was all she said before returning to her duties as if nothing had happened.

It took time and a lot more observing before Starscream understood that particular lesson. Despite the danger Ghoststorm's doors were never locked, for his sake, and while waiting for him to finally come to her about everyone else tried their luck. Hence it were draw blades that greeted the seeker when finally he got over his pride and ego; blades and then this incredible sad smile again.

"For the fastest flier of Cybertron you certainly took your sweet time."

"He really never wanted me, did he?"

"No, sweetspark, Megatron never wanted you. From the moment of your creation he wanted you dead and gone" the small femme replied, not cruel, but bitter. Time and the war had brought out the worst in her, like violence and a growing paranoia, but there was still a lot left of the apprentice Ghoststorm, his guardian, smiling with open arms. "But we wanted you and always will."

"No. It's too late. I've ... I've done too many, too terrible things. I can't go back."

"Star, all you have to do is go back and apologies. Remember when you burned down the apartment by trying to fly inside although we told you time and time again not to do it? We forgave you that, too."

"This is different."

"Of course it is. I don't say it will be easy, but it's the right thing to do and I swear they will want you back, so what's stopping you? Just let me get Wave and we ... "

"I got promoted."

Under normal circumstances that would have been a reason to celebrate, but things had stopped being normal long ago. Ghoststorm's face fell, reflecting pretty much what Starscream felt. For a moment the small femme tensed up and the seeker feared she would become violent – it had happened before, through she had so far never turned against someone who a) didn't deserve it and b) couldn't take it – but then just sat down on her desk.

"Promoted."

"It's not official yet, but Silverwing said I got potential and wants to make me his second soon. I ... I can't go back anymore, but you can. You don't have to stay. Go back to your family."

"And explain why I left you here alone? I could never face them again."

On an impulse the seeker leaped forward and crushed the other against his cockpit. Ghoststorm didn't know right away what to do with that – last time their positions had been reversed and Starscream had actually been smaller then, too – but then returned the gesture..

"I'm sorry, Storm, so sorry. But don't worry, I'll protect you, I promise."

The smaller actually chuckled lightly.

"Star, of all the things I need, protection certainly isn't one of them. I can take care of myself just fine, but, for Primus sake, try to keep a low profile from now on and watch your back."

It was true, Ghoststorm had proven that she really was the last person needing protection, but still Starscream made a decision then and there – one just as stupid as deciding to join the Decepticons as the medic would point out – namely that the only way to get things remotely back to what they once were was to kill Megatron,

Of course things didn't work out as planned. After air commander Silverwing perished Starscream inhered his position and that of the second in command. It was the perfect position to get rid of Megatron, but all his attempts resulted in him seeing a lot more of his former guardian and the med bay than any party involved would have liked. Why Megatron never finished him off or at least stripped him from his rank they didn't know, but agreed that, after all that had happened, it certainly hadn't anything to do with Starscream being his son.

Then the war led to the Allspark being lost in space and Megatron vanishing with it. They had thought it was finally over then, through the loss of Soundwave had hit Ghoststorm very hard. They thought they just would have to wait a bit for things to calm down and then go back to their families, but then the Autobots abandoned their dying home world and went after the Allspark and Megatron, forcing the Deceptions to follow suit and from then things went downhill.

When Ghoststorm had insisted that she didn't need special protection it had probably been the first time for as long as the seeker could remember that the medic, the very femme who jumped from roofs without hesitation, five younglings attached to her, or hid in the laboratories of scientists whose mental condition was questionable at best, had been wrong when judging the danger of a situation. Before she had been under Megagtron's protection, but with the warlord gone that obviously had no meaning anymore and the medic paid a terrible price for that, more than once, until they were faced with the hard reality of the small femme nurturing a sparklet.

The co-creator never learned about that, having been fed his interface array before his served head had been pinned to the rec room wall by the dark femme. After the first panic and wave of self discrimination had settled Starscream did what he could to make sure something like this would never happen and made it known that he claimed Ghoststorm for himself. After he had maimed the next mech trying to make moves on the medic the small femme was mostly left alone, but that didn't help them with the sparkling.

Terminating it was out of question, in fact, Ghoststorm refused to even consider that as a possible option, so they hid her condition, which was much easier than hiding the actual sparkling, especially since it always had to be close to its carrier. Starscream admittedly wasn't sure how the other did it. When they had no other choice they hid the sparkling in the seeker's canopy, the extra hard glass preventing it from harm, but he often had to leave in a hurry. Ghoststorm had constructed hiding places, assumingly one in her quarters, one in the med bay and one in her office, but more the seeker didn't know, just like he had no clue as to why she called the sparkling Red Alert. At least the dark medic had bothered to explain why it was red – apparently she had been also been red when still a sparkling, but changed first to green and then to dark blue later, but everything else ...

They adjusted to the new situation as good as they could – at least Shockwave was far away on Cybertron. That was a great comfort and made it easier to adjust to the new situation. For a while it actually worked quite well, all things considered, and then earth happened.

It was easily the most terrifying and yet liberating experience in Starscream's life. How he had prayed they wouldn't find Megatron, or at least only find his offlined corps, but no such luck. Cyrostasis ... vorns caged in his own body to think ... easily the worst thing that could have happened and Starscream had to orchestrate his `rescue´, because he had to keep Ghoststorm and Red Alert safe and the only way to do that was to stay on the good or at least neutral side of the army and they wanted Megatron. Sadly things happened to fast then to try one of his by now famous attempts at assassinating Megatron and Jazz ... the seeker felt as torn as the body of his beloved small, big brother was.

He wanted to flee then, run, preferably to his creators, his real creators, the ones that had put up with him and raised him despite not being related by spark right, but he couldn't. He had to stay and safe what he could, maybe find a chance to get rid of big and ugly and maybe, just maybe there was life left in his brother, because then Ratchet surely would be able to safe it, but somehow things turned out completely different, again – a repeating theme in his life, he noticed, and he hated it! So, one moment he was chancing fate by taking a shot at Megatron hoping Optimus would finally use the opportunity and finish his nemesis off, the next that human boy they had been chasing around the whole time did the job and he did it right. Megatron was dead and Ratchet already shoulder deep in Jazz' chassis – which meant at this very moment his brother was actually still alive – and Starscream ... Starscream didn't know what to do. He stuck around for a while longer in hiding, trying figure out what the Autobots would be doing now. With the Allspark destroyed and Shockwave back on Cybertron the seeker was comparably happy nobody seemed inclined to leave earth for the moment, but that Prime send out a message to the stars, invitating everyone to join them ... stupid idea, like, really stupid, but that for once wasn't his battle to fight – and so he fired up his thrusters and returned to the Nemesis lying hidden behind the planet the human's called Jupiter.

Ghoststorm of course didn't believe him at first, despite having heard Prime's message. Megatron offline for good sounded far too good to be true, but the video fed didn't lie, through for a moment it looked as if the poor stressed medic would just crash.

She didn't, but Ghoststorm sat down right where she stood and stayed like this for a seemingly endless time while Starscream could do nothing but wring his servos in a nervous attempt to stay silent. The Decepticon forces had been stretched thin before, now there were so few left in this ship they could have been just as well alone.

"How long ago was that?"

"About half an orn ago. I ... I stayed to see if it really was over and ... well, it looked as if. I think they plan to stay on earth for, you know, longer."

"Okay, that ... that is good. You finally start to use that fast processor of yours to actually think things through. We must not haste this. Go and take care everyone is busy and doesn't suspect anything. Then you will pack your stuff and everything that might be useful to buy us asylum from the Autobots. I'll do the same and then we will get the Pit out of here!"

"But ... but I'm Decepticon leader now, they will never ... I _shot_ at them!"

It was actually visible how something inside Ghoststorm snapped and with a feral growl she yanked the seeker down by the cables in his throat until he was on optic level.

"Now listen to me and listen closely, because I won't repeat myself: you will pack, you will come to my quarters, pick me and little Red up and then you will bring me to the Autobots where we will return to what is left of our families and be nice and peaceful, do you understand?"

"But ..."

The small femme growled again and the seeker sunk together.

"Yes, Storm" he mumbled and shuffled away. Ghoststorm locked the door behind him, not to keep him out, but everyone else. Then she checked if the loop she had programmed into the cameras was working correctly before opening a drawer. It was empty, but that was not a cause of worry to her. She just pressed a hidden button and with a barely audible a panel on the wall loosened. Checking her surroundings once more Ghoststorm took the datapad also hidden in the drawer, then removed the panel and sighed relieved at the little red sparkling silently nibbling on a chew toy Starscream had smuggled in, but the moment he saw his creator it became completely irrelevant and he stretched out his little arms and laughed without making a single noise, but that was alright, too. She had made sure the sparkling never even got a glimpse of the harsh world they were forced to live in and done everything in her power to make sure he was healthy and received enough stimulations to develop more or less normal.

She had indeed three such hiding places. This, one under her berth – cliché, some would say, but it worked and allowed her to spend her entire recharge circle with her precious little buddle of joy. And why tinker with a working system anyway? – and one in her desk. All three she had cushioned to the best of her abilities, fitted with coloured lights that reacted to the sparkling's activity – the time with Wheeljack and Perceptor had really paid off – and different toys. However, she couldn't offer him auditory stimulation and thus Red Alert saw no need to make noises himself. He probably would start to become vocal as soon as she didn't have to hide him so much anymore ... well, or he was just already smart enough to know it was in his best interest to stay silent and then the problem would solve itself soon enough.

"Hey, my littlest, my sweet spark. Did you hear that? Soon you will see your brother. I wonder what happened to them. I hope they are alright."

The sparkling crocked his little head, too intelligent optics trying to find a reason why her spark and voice were so sad.

"Such a smart sparkling. Don't worry, little Red. Soon everything will be alright."

The sparkling continued to muster her, but was easily distracted when she picked him up, snuggled him close and tickled him lightly. She wondered how long that little trick would work; she hoped it wouldn't be necessary for much longer.

"Please, mighty Primus. I know I already own you a lot and all that bugging about the safety of my whole family, but, please, hear my prayer just one more time. I miss them so much; let them still want me. Let them be alright and accept all three of us. It's been so long since we've been wanted."

**The End**

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**

_Jep, you're reading right, this is the end. No more chapters. Maybe when I do this 100 Theme Challenge or 25 Character things I'll get back to this 'vers, `Unwanted´ is now officially finished._

_I did no time skip in this one on purpose. As the title says, it's the bridge, where past and present meet, because, well, this ends where the present part of the first chapter starts._

_So, what do you say? Come on, I'm dying for some your opinions._


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